Fairlene Interview

Fairlene did an interview earlier this week and I know you were wanting to know about it, so here it is!

How did Fairlene get started?
Johnny Pacar: Jason and I were in a band, several months-a year ago, somewhere around there. We decided to go different ways and do something a little new. So we parted ways with some of the members and the styles of that band. A lot of the songs that we’re doing now, I’ve sort of had and were kicking around for awhile. We were doing preproduction and writing and everybody came together. Jason brought Jeff in from a band they used to play in. Cody I met working together and we decided to jam a few times, and Cody took out first single and put his touch on it, and it all came together organically

Where did you get your name from?
Johnny Pacar: I’m from Michigan and a pretty big car person. Fairlene is a hot rod. There’s also a funny story behind it that would take way too long to explain. So right now, we’ll just go with the bottom line.

Do you guys have any major influences when it comes to your music?
Cody Longo: Yeah, we all sort of have different ones.
Jeff Aulich: I think as a band, 30 Seconds To Mars, Angels And Airwaves
Johnny Pacar: My Chemical Romance. Guns and Roses. Original, Guns And Roses. I’m into all sorts of solo artists as well.
Jason Ywahu: Saosin, Genesis, Yes
Cody Longo: Incubus, Pink Floyd, The Muse

For those who haven’t listened to you before, how would you describe your sound?
Jason Ywahu: When people ask we say its rock, melodic, epic.
Johnny Pacar: Epic. Experimental. I had a friend actually say something sort of interesting. She said it’s very atmospheric. Which I’ve never heard before, buy hey, I guess everybody sort of interoperates it in the their own way. When I explain to friends, I just say pop/pop-rock.
Cody Longo: I am big on beauty, so when I touch the songs, I try to bring that to every song, so everyone feels it inside them, whether its to get up and dance, or get spiritual with the song, or even cry, so its like that epic beauty..(laughing)

You guys are currently recording the Under The Afterglow EP, how’s it going?
Johnny Pacar: It’s going well. Right now, we’ve already recorded two songs. The guy we’re working with has a lot of other acts he’s working with so we did the first two songs. We’ll have the second song up tomorrow, Thursday (6/3/10). Then we go back in the end of June to record the last two songs on the EP. I’m also going to record with a friend of mine, who’s a really good producer who produces a lot of acoustic music. So I’m going to go do an acoustic song for the record. It’s one that I wrote a really long time ago.

Is there one main songwriter in the band or is it more of a group process?
Johnny Pacar: Most songs, as I said, I had prewritten, for awhile. But that’s just lyrically. I also had these concepts. Everybody just sort of brings their own to it. Like Jeff will bring in all these great guitar sounds. Cody brings great piano pieces. Jason’s epic drum sounds. We have like an outline then everybody sort of mixes together. You have an idea in your mind and then they come and add to it. And it’s only how we imagined it. It exceeds your expectations.
Jason Ywahu: We started with Johnny and I just doing pre-production stuff and putting it together. Then Jeff and Cody came along and just added so much to it.
Cody Longo: As we continue, Johnny and I are writing a couple together lyrically, and I have books of spoken word poetry that I’m sure will apply to our music in the future.. We all have equal input though.

How has the fans reaction been to your song “Safe Unsound”?
Johnny Pacar: It’s been amazing. Everybody seems to really enjoy the song. We’ve gotten a lot of great responses from it. Friends and family love it. We haven’t had it out that long, but so far, its been incredible.

Do you have plans to release another song online?
Johnny Pacar: Thursday (6/3/10) we’re going to release the second track, as I mentioned. It’s called “Forever And A Day”. It’s a little bit different from what’s up right now. I think people will really enjoy it. I think girls will really enjoy it. How do I say it, it’s more softer.
Kayley Guyette: Like something you’d hear in a chic flick?
Johnny Pacar: Basically. It’s poppy, and about relations, and a lot of people relate to that

When will Under The Afterglow EP be released?
Johnny Pacar: August 16th. If things change we’ll keep everybody posted.
Jason Ywahu: That’s the plan date as long as everything goes smoothly with iTunes. But it should be definitely in August.

Do you have any plans to tour in the near future?
Johnny Pacar: Yeah, we’d love to. Right now it’s sort of step by step. Maybe we’ll play some showcases, once the EP’s done, actually once we have the two songs. We’ll start looking into get them into the hands of agents and things like that. To try to get the professional ball rolling, representation wise and what not.

If you could play with any musician or group, who would you pick?
Jeff Aulich: Brad Paisley would be my pick.
Johnny Pacar: There’s so many, Guns N Roses, Sebastian Bach-whose a phenomenal vocalist, The Doors, 30 Seconds To Mars, My Chemical Romance, Aiden. I’d also like to see Tori Amos cover “Safe Unsound” or just one of our songs. Have her play piano and do her own thing with it. It’s just because I hear the piano in the song and she’s a phenomenal artist. I really respect what she does.
Jason Ywahu: Les Claypool, Phil Collins, Yes. Pink Floyd, The Rolling Stones, Johnny Cash. Another band that’s had a lot of inspiration on us is Journey. It would be amazing to collaborate with those guys.
Cody Longo: I would love to jam with Pink Floyd, and the doors, Jim Morrison.. Incubus, Elton John, the muse

If you had to pick between The Beatles and The Rolling Stones, who would you pick?
Johnny Pacar: Tough question.
Jeff Aulich: I think from a song writing standpoint I would say The Beatles. And if we were going to play with them, I’d say The Beatles. But from more of a musicianship side I’d say The Rolling Stones. That’s my vote.
Johnny Pacar: That’s a good answer; I’m going to go with that one.
Jason Ywahu: I’d have to go with The Rolling Stones, but it’s hard to say.
Jeff Aulich: They put on a good show, I’ve seen them once before. And they put on a really good entertaining show. So if we were going to play with them, it’d be a lot of fun.
Cody Longo: I like Jeff’s answer.

Which one of you guys is the funniest?
Jason Ywahu: Jeff’s pretty funny.
Johnny Pacar: Jeff’s pretty funny.
Jeff Aulich: I don’t talk much…
Jason Ywahu: But when he does, it’s awesome.
Johnny Pacar: Jeff’s comments are probably the funniest.
Jeff Aulich: I feel so awkward learning this information.
Johnny Pacar: And this is just making him feel more awkward. Tell him to say something funny.
Kayley Guyette: Say something funny.
Johnny Pacar: Just kidding….now say something funny.
Jeff Aulich: I’ve got nothing.

Will you guys ever perform on Make It Or Break It, or are you completely separate?
Johnny Pacar: We’re totally separate, right now. I don’t know the status of really anything going on with the show and what not. I would love to try to get a song on the show, I know Holly, the creator of the show, at one point mentioned something about really wanting to get our band involved in some way. I’m going to try to get these tracks over there and see what they think. If it fits, it fits and if it doesn’t, it doesn’t. But as of now, it’s totally separate. But hopefully in the future we’ll have a track on the show or maybe even popping up on the show.

Is there anything else you’d like to add?
Johnny Pacar: Just again thank you for stumbling across our stuff and giving us this opportunity. For taking the time to interview us and put it out there, we’re really grateful. And to all of the fans that wrote in with questions. Thank you and hopefully you like the rest of the EP and we’ll just keep plugging away at putting out music.
Jason Ywahu: There should be a part 2 to this EP coming out, as well.
Johnny Pacar: We’re already starting to write songs and do preproduction for volume two-or whatever if we decide to rename it. But I think as of right now it’s going to stay Under The Afterglow, sort of a theme that I’m starting to develop right now.
Cody Longo: Yeah, we want to thank everyone for all of the support, and to keep listening, we have some great stuff coming, that we have worked really hard on, that we think and hope everyone will love. We’ve got a great mix of musicians in our band collaborating into one, with some meaningful lyrics. Thanks again

Source: The Sound Alarm